What is a Computer Network?
Why Interviewers Ask This
Interviewers use this question to quickly assess whether a candidate has the foundational knowledge required for Networking development. It reveals whether you understand the building blocks that more complex concepts rely on.
Answer
A computer network is a system of interconnected computing devices (computers, servers, smartphones, printers, routers) that communicate with each other to share resources, data, and services. Networks can be classified by size: PAN (Personal Area Network — Bluetooth, USB, a few meters), LAN (Local Area Network — a building or campus), MAN (Metropolitan Area Network — a city), and WAN (Wide Area Network — countries/global, e.g., the Internet). Networks enable resource sharing (printers, storage), communication (email, VoIP), centralized management, and cost savings. The Internet is the world's largest public WAN, connecting billions of devices globally.
Common Mistake
Rushing to answer is a common mistake. Take two seconds to structure your response: definition → example → trade-off. This structure makes complex Networking answers easy to follow.